2019: Guber aspirants from outside Abia south should perish ambition – Agbazuere
. Says Ikpeazu deserves 2nd term
From Steve Oko, Umuahia
Constitutional lawyer and Human Rights activist, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere, has urged governorship aspirants from outside Abia South senatorial district to perish their 2019 ambition for the sake of equity as the zone is yet to complete its second term unlike other zones.
Agbazuere who made the appeal at a press conference in his Enugu Road office, Umuahia, said it would be unjust for other zones which had completed their turns of two tenures respectively to contested the exalted seat with Abia South which is still in its first term till 2019.
The former Commissioner for Information & Strategy urged aspirants from other zones to respect the Abia Charter of Equity put in place by the founding fathers of the state who saw the wisdom in power rotation among all three zones in the state.
Agbazuere further noted that the incumbent Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu should be allowed to go for a second term considering his landmark achievements so far.
Reading from a prepared text entitled: ” In Defense of Equity and Performance”, Agbazuere said Gov. Ikpeazu, by all standards ” deserves a second tenure because he has performed well”.
The document read in part: ” Great Abians , in the spirit of camaraderie , equity and greater development of our dear state, Abia, I feel challenged to call on all those so far contesting for the governorship position against Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to have a rethink and back down. I think equity and performance are the two pillars for which we should respect this position.
“On equity, out of the three senatorial zones of Abia State, Abia North served two terms through Dr. Orji Uzor Klau; Abia Central served two terms through Senator Theodore Orji. It is therefore equitable and appropriate that Abia South should also be allowed to serve their two terms.
” Fortunately, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu is from Abia South Senatorial zone and has served only one term, and given his performance index rating, he deserves a second term in office.
” Anyone therefore who is contesting from the governorship position of Abia state and is not from Abia South senatorial zone is being most unfair to equity, his conscience and the people of Abia State. I know those involved are noble men and women , and I urge them to take this advice seriously and wait for their turn.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Orientation, however, declared that despite all odds, ” Gov. Ikpeazu will win again come 2019 and it is worthless waisting resources”.
Agbazuere who said Ikpeazu had constructed over 70 roads since he came on board, enumerated some of the Governor’s outstanding achievements to include : Aba Owerri Road, Nkporo Road, Ochefu Street, Imo Ndikpa Bridge, Okonu Ohafia brodge, Ogbor Hill Aba, Dozie Way Umuahia , among others.
He also said Ikpeazu had done well in agricultural sector where he had planted millions of high-yielding Tenera palm seedlings, as well as in the sports sector where the Enyimba Stadium Aba had been upgraded to international standard.
” Just last night in Abuja, the Federal Government honoured Abia State Government as the most friendly micro small and mediul scale enterprises state in Nigeria”, he added.
He dismissed the insinuations in some quarters that the Governor is concentrating infrastructural development around Aba axis alone, arguing that on the contrary, he is rather spreading development evenly across the state.
Agbazuere, however, added that it is not out of place to give special attention to Aba being the economic honey pot of the state, contending that if Aba is fixed, Abia’s problem is half solved.
On those who accuse the Governor of not giving attention to ‘ stomach infrastructure’ ( social welfare) Agbazuere said the Governor could only attend to issues based on the availability of resources.
While he noted that some workers in parastatals and agencies as well as pensioners are owed salary and pension arrears, he insisted that core civil servants are paid up to date.
He, therefore, appealed for patience of the affected staff, assuring that the arrears will be defrayed as soon as the resources of the state improves.
End
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